Working Conditions Aboard the Grande-Roma

On October 25 at 10 p.m., the car carrier 'Grande Roma' experienced a significant power failure caused by a fire in its engine room while navigating the English Channel, roughly 21 nautical miles south of Weymouth. In a swift response, the crew successfully ventilated the engine room with CO2 and initiated cooling on the surrounding bulkheads, bringing the blaze under control. Fortunately, the captain confirmed that there were no injuries or environmental pollution linked to the fire. As the vessel lost propulsion and became unmanageable, assistance was promptly requested from the tug 'Abeille Liberte' (IMO: 9308699), which secured a towline at 9:36 a.m. on October 26, guiding the ship safely to the port of Le Havre. The 'Grande Roma', which is slated for removal from Grimaldi’s fleet due to an ongoing sale, had departed Antwerp on October 24, en route to Jebel Ali, where it was scheduled to arrive on November 25. Grimaldi Euromed is coordinating all necessary support for the crew, cargo, and vessel while in Le Havre. On October 27 at 9 p.m., the ship was securely docked at the Terminal de Normandia for thorough inspections and repairs. As of November 3, the vessel remained in port. A recent inspection in Antwerp highlighted critical fire safety concerns, revealing six deficiencies according to local maritime authorities. These included issues with jacketed high-pressure lines, oil leak alarms, boiler alarms, bilge pumping setups, and control systems in machinery spaces. WK Webster is advising that the incident may invoke considerations regarding general average, salvage, and associated recovery operations. For more details and images, visit: https://lemarin.ouest-france.fr/shipping/victime-dun-incendie-en-manche-le-car-carrier-grande-roma-remorque-au-havre-bfe3b462-b40d-11f0-b69a-6e4ddcc8cd29.

On March 17, 2019, the Grimaldi Lines vessel, the 'Grande Roma', encountered mechanical issues while navigating the English Channel, specifically east of the Isle of Wight. The ship, which was transporting 250 vehicles and had a crew of 26, reported an air compressor failure to the Coastguard at 6:55 p.m. It anchored at position 050° 39' 18.6" N, 000° 12' 18" E. Scheduled to arrive at Nab Tower for pilot boarding by 8 a.m. the following day, the vessel needed urgent assistance. The tug 'Multratug 17' (IMO: 9481752), dispatched from Zeebrugge, reached the Grande Roma at approximately 1 a.m. on March 18. Shortly after, the tug 'Lomax' (IMO: 9657832) joined the operation as the Grande Roma was taken in tow. The tugs successfully guided the ship to Southampton, where it docked at the 102 RoRo Terminal at 7:50 p.m.

On February 21, 2019, at precisely 10:30 a.m., a shuttle vehicle collided with the cargo deck of the vessel 'Grande Roma' while attempting to navigate a loading ramp between two decks. Unfortunately, the vehicle's height was insufficient, resulting in the crash. As a consequence, three workers engaged in vehicle loading sustained minor injuries and were promptly transported to a hospital in Emden for evaluation. Fortunately, all three were released following a checkup. In the wake of the incident, the marine police in Emden initiated an investigation. Earlier that same day, the 'Grande Roma' had departed from the port at midnight, setting sail for Antwerp, where it docked on February 22 at 8:50 p.m. The vessel continued its journey to Sheerness, arriving on February 24 at 6:30 p.m. The incident serves as a reminder of the critical importance of safety measures during loading operations.

On August 6, 2018, an incident occurred at the Malta Dry Docks in Valletta, where the 'Grande Roma' (IMO: 9247936) unexpectedly tilted to starboard. The vessel had entered the dry dock on July 31 for scheduled maintenance. Authorities believe that the mishap was triggered by a structural failure of the dock supports, exacerbated by the weight of the ship's large stern ramp being lowered onto the dock's edge. Fortunately, on August 7, the situation was stabilized, and the ship was returned to an even keel by flooding the dry dock. Subsequently, on August 13 at 10:30 a.m., the tugs 'RT Spinola' (IMO: 9495258) and 'Sea Salvor' (IMO: 9203100) successfully assisted in towing the Grande Roma out of the dock. After undergoing necessary repairs, the vessel departed the yard on September 5 at 4 p.m., setting course for Monfalcone with an expected time of arrival on September 8. For visual documentation, you can explore photos from the incident through these links: [Photo 1](http://www.shipspotting.com/gallery/photo.php?lid=2892755), [Photo 2](http://www.shipspotting.com/gallery/photo.php?lid=2892817), [Photo 3](http://www.shipspotting.com/gallery/photo.php?lid=2892822), [Photo 4](http://www.shipspotting.com/gallery/photo.php?lid=2892821), [Photo 5](http://www.shipspotting.com/gallery/photo.php?lid=2895529).